第７１８堀：元夫婦喧嘩と…… (Part1)
Chapter 718: Former Spouses' Quarrel and...
Side: Faide
I knew this day would come eventually, but now that it's here, I still don't like it... With such thoughts, I stood in the wilderness.
"...Well, at least no one else will be harmed, that's a relief." I said, looking around. This was a wilderness with little sign of life. I rarely come to such a place, but Yuki had lent it to me. "If you want a place where a fight won't cause much damage, a training ground is the only option." So, I had borrowed one of the army's training grounds. To talk with Lilishe. Yes, I had borrowed this place to talk with Lilishe.
"No, no, we'd like to ask that *we* aren't harmed."
"Indeed." Speaking from behind me were Nogosh and Noble. They had accompanied me just in case.
"I'd like that too, but it seems rather difficult."
"Do you really think you'll end up fighting *that* Lilishe?"
"We can't imagine it at all. Neither Lilishe nor you are suited for combat, are you?"
Probably not. I couldn't imagine that fluffy Lilishe fighting. But...
"Oh, it's not really something you'd call a fight~, is it~?" Such a voice suddenly reached my ears, and I immediately moved away from the spot.
*THUD!!*
"Whoa!?"
"Wh-what was that!?" The two were caught in it and sent flying.
"H-hey!? Lilishe!!"
"What are you doing?! This is supposed to be a discussion!?" And with someone's voice, the identity of the attacker was revealed.
"...Lilishe. Quite a greeting, right off the bat."
"Oh dear~. If you hadn't dodged, it would have been over in one hit~." In the center of the crater was the usual fluffy Lilishe. The only difference was that one of her arms was buried in the ground. Honestly, it seems she hasn't changed; a difference of opinion still leads to fists.
"Hey!! Listen to what we're saying!!"
"Lilishe, this really won't do." While I was thinking such things, Nonoa and Hifi pressed in on Lilishe.
"What in the world?! Lilishe did that just now?"
"...Most likely. What exactly is she thinking?" And the two who had been caught and sent flying had recovered and seemed to grasp the situation. But the surrounding comments seemed to be of no concern to Lilishe...
"It's fine~. This much is nothing for Faide~. And~, those two are unharmed, so there's no problem~. If they could be taken out by this much~, they would have died long ago~." She said, ever so nonchalantly.
"That's not the point!!"
"This is an international incident!?" Nonoa and Hifi tried to stop her, saying that...
"Problem~? You two say such strange things~. This is just a discussion between me and that idiot over there, you know? Why would *I* turn it into an international incident? Or~, are those two such wimps, narrow-minded, small-hearted, tiny men that they'd be taken out by this much~?"
"As if we'd complain about *this* much!!" Nogosh and Noble, their male pride pricked, couldn't help but react. What this implied was...
"Then, there's no problem~, is there~?"
"Ah!?" In other words, they had tacitly approved Lilishe's actions.
"No, wait a minute, that and this are..."
"The meaning is different, isn't it?"
"Oh dear~, are you retracting your statement before the words are even dry on your tongue~? You were small men after all~. Or do you think that idiot over there will be beaten to a pulp by a frail woman like me~?"
"..."
"Hmm~? What's wrong~?" For now, they tried to retort, but anything they said would only make things worse.
"Wait, Lilishe. Those two came here out of concern for us. Don't say such things. You know that, don't you? I mean, who would think they'd be unharmed after taking a punch from someone who can create a crater like that?"
"Is that so~? They're calling themselves gods, after all, so they should be able to handle this much~, right~?"
"Tch, always contradicting me." When I said that sarcastically, Lilishe's atmosphere changed.
"...That's you. You kept making excuses and wouldn't help no matter how much I asked. And then you secretly supported Ritea? Then you should have helped from the beginning!! What, did you hate me that much!?"
"...That's not it. That's not it at all." No, I've been starting to dislike her recently, but it wasn't like that back then.
"What do you mean, 'that's not it'!! In the end, that's exactly what it was, wasn't it!! Just let me hit you!! Regardless of me, lives that could have been saved were lost because of your indecisiveness!! What's the point of a god's power!! Your power of agriculture only has meaning when people eat, doesn't it!! Why did you hold back!! You idiot!!" Saying that, Lilishe lunged to strike, and I received her fist without trying to stop her.
*THUD!!*
But, as expected, it was an amateur's punch. This much was nothing. And if one punched carelessly...
"Ow!?" She hurt her fist. Lilishe had punched with all her might, so her hand was red.
"That's what happens when you swing a fist you're not used to. Heal it. You're good at that, aren't you?"
"...Hmph. So, why did you hold back?"
"...I told you it wasn't like that, didn't I? I'm certainly called the God of Agriculture, but it's not like I can speed up crop growth or increase yields. You know that, don't you? All I can do is ensure that whatever is cultivated grows properly. It's like pouring water on a hot stone."
"...Even so, it would have helped a little."
"And telling me to abandon the people in the land I was originally in, that's not right, is it?"
"..."
Yes, that's where Lilishe and I fell out. It was good that Ritea set off on her journey with great ambition. But then one day, Lilishe declared she wanted to help her and left.
"Lilishe. You told me you wouldn't help Ritea when she left on her journey, so why did you change your mind and help her? Why did you abandon me and the village and leave?"
"..." I had never asked her this before. Well, if she just said her mood changed, that would be the end of it. So I hadn't thought to ask, but now that a friend was resorting to violence, I couldn't just let it go.
"Can't a parent help their child? You know she sent a letter saying she wished her mother and father were there, don't you?"
"We talked about that many times. That we wouldn't lend a hand for Ritea's sake."
"...You're so stubborn!!"
"...You're far too impatient. Well, let's put that aside. So, I wasn't acting as a god, but as an ordinary person, simply sending the surplus crops I managed to grow to Ritea."
"That's just a way of putting it!!"
"You are."
"Hmph." When I said that, she turned her back and started to walk away...
"Don't walk away, you idiot."
"Fugya!?" After those words, Lilishe suddenly stumbled. Before I knew it, Yuki was standing right beside Lilishe, having tripped her.
"Ow~. What in the world are you doing~?"
"It's not 'ow~'. I don't care why you two broke up or fight, but take responsibility for what you've done."
"Eh~, what's responsibility~?"